On Tuesday night, tennis legend Serena Williams not only slayed the Sports Illustrated ceremony held in her honor by wearing her lingerie-inspired black dress, she slayed haters who were mad about her being named ‘”Sportsperson of the Year.”

Several publications highlighted the comments and affectations of disgruntled fans who were concerned Williams had stolen the title from a racehorse named American Pharaoh. Williams made light of those criticisms saying “I lived through tragedies and controversies and horses.” The audience erupted in laughter.

She went on to explain that her experiences in the sports world have been filled with obstacles and detractors. But, she was able to overcome all of that to become the athlete she is today.

“I’ve had people put me down because I didn’t look like them. I look stronger. I’ve had people look past me because of the color of my skin. I’ve had people overlook me because I was a woman. I had critics say I will never win another Grand Slam when I was only at number seven and now here I stand today, with 21 Grand Slam titles, and I’m still going.”

Watch the full speech below:

Photo credit: Screenshot from YouTube video from Sports Illustrated (above)

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  • Jenn M. Jackson was born and raised in East Oakland, California, a fact which motivates her writing and academic ambitions. She is a scholar, educator, and writer whose writing addresses Black Politics and civil and public life for young Black people with a focus on policing and surveillance. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Water Cooler Convos, a culture platform for Black millennials. Her writing has been featured in Washington Post, BITCH Magazine, Marie Claire, EBONY, The Root, Daily Dot, The Independent, and many others. Jackson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago studying American Politics with a focus on political participation and engagement, public opinion and social movements. For more about her, tweet her at @JennMJack or visit her website at jennmjackson.com.